1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an adapter for converting a nonrepairable shielded electrical cable connector to a repairable one.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In wire cable harnesses, particularly air frame harnesses, metal braid shielding is used to prevent signals on the inside of the cable from being interfered with by signals on the outside of the cable bundle. It is becoming more difficult to accomplish effective shielding required by the delicacy of current day instrumentation. In addition to the normal types of interference, it is sometimes required that critical lines be shielded from electro-magnetic pulses. These pulses have been known to reach in excess of several thousand volts. To shield from these effects, an extremely low resistive path is required between the aircraft ground and the shield of the cable run.
The shielding prevents outside electrical signals or impulses of any kind from penetrating the cable by induction and providing undesirable cross-signals or interference. If the shielding is distrubed in any way, such as by forcing it back along the cable in order to effect repairs, the electrical shielding is adversely affected and is for all practical purposes destroyed.
The primary requirement for a repairable connector accordingly is that all repairs must be effected and retermination of the wires established without in any way disturbing the braided shield.
At the present time, there are two types of shielded electrical cable connectors in use. One is the non-repairable type such as that using crimped ring or Magnaform (trademark) termination of the braided shield. Such connectors cannot be repaired because there is no way to effect such a repair without disturbing the braided shield, which disturbance results in impairment of the electrical shielding.
Another requirement of a repairable connector is that the connector should be repairable in the field. In the case of Magnaform shield terminations of the type now in use, this cannot be done because Magnaform equipment is not available or adaptable for use in the field.
For these reasons, crimped ring, Magnaform and permanent type non-repairable connectors cannot be used in applications where repairability is either a requirement or a possibility. The only other available alternatives at the present time are the much more expensive, complex and heavier repairable assemblies such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,830,937 and 3,739,076. The added expense of such units is undesirable in all applications and the added weight is undesirable in aircraft applications. The effectiveness of the shield termination and shielding effect also may be less than that of a nonrepairable construction.